Thermomechanical flash-light apparatus.



No. 859,899," PATENTED JULY 9, 1907.

sf BBRBNS;` THBRMOMEGHANIGA'L FLASHV LIGHT APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 24,1906.

2 sHBETs-SHEBT 1.

, Qa/niavs Berena No. 859,899. y l PATENTED `JULY 9, 1907.

. `s. BEBENS. THBRMOMEGHANIGAL FLASH LIGHT APPARATUS.'

I APPLIUATION FILED MAY 24, 1906.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED STATES 1ATEN'I"formen sTANIsLAUs BERsNs, or LA GRANGE, ILLINOIS,AssIeNoR on oNEHALP To ABRAHAM N.

' GATZERT, oncHIoAGo, ILLINoIs.

THEBMONIECHANICAL PLAsH-LIGHT APPARATUS. J

To all whom it may concern: 1

Be it known that l, STANISLAUs BEnENs, a citizen of the UnitedStates,'residing at La Grange, in the county of Cook and State ofIllinois, have-invented certain 'new anduseful Improvements in aThermo-` 'mechanical Flash-Light Apparauaof which the following is aspecification. .v

The subject ofthe present invention is a novel auto-- matic apparatusfor gas burners, .of the thermo-mechan-l ical type, tobeused forintermittently producing 'flashlights or Haines of great lo'r lessbrilliancy to be employed in connection -with signs or for otherpurposes, and has particularly in' view to provide simple and'eicientmeanaof the character stated, capable of being applied toexistingconstructions of gas-fix.- tures with comparatively littlealteration therein, labor or expense, and'which shall '.be soconstructed `that in its operation the size or brilliancy of the flameIn the accompanying drawings whichserve toillus-vk trate myimprovementsFigure 1 is a view inside elevation oi a flash lightapparatus embodying one .form oi the invention, showing it applied toagas fixture and illustrating the parts by continuous lines in theirnormal positions'oi' in the positions they will occupy when the flameand supply oigas'is reduced to a minimum. Fig. 2 isa central vertical.sectional view through the valvel casing and-the yoke which supports theexpansible wires, but showing the other parts in elevation andillustrating them fin the positions they will occupy when' a full supplyof gas is turned'on to create a brilliant flame. Fig. 3 is a cross.-sectional View of a portion oi the apparatus, taken on line 3, 3 of Fig.1 looking in the direction indicated by the arrows.v Fig. 4 is a bottomplan view of the valve casing. Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view-thereof,taken on line 5, 5 of Fig. 4lookingin the direction indicated by thearrows. Fig. 6 is a detached view in elevation o 30, which' have freepivotal movements on said upthe` valve stem. Fig. 7 is a view i'nelevation oi the apparatus, showing a modification 'in its constructionand illustrating it as detached-fromthegas fixture orsupply pipe. Fig. 8is a horizontalsectional view,

taken through the valve casing. shown in Fig. 7 just above the valyestem therein.` Fig'. 9 is a central ver- I tical sectiznai'iew of thevalve' casingshown in Figs?,

Specification o f Letters Patent. Application ltiled May 24, 1906.-Serial No. 818,438.

Patented Jury -9, Y1907.

7 and l8;*4a11d-Fig. 10 is 'a cross-sectional-view of the ment of. thevalve therein.

Like lnumerals oi reference, refer parts throughout the different lviewsofthe drawings.

- The reference numeral 15 designates a gas pipe or fixture, whichmaybe' of the ordinary construction and suitably supported. Mounted onthe vdischarg- Aing end of the pipe or fixture-l5 is a valve casing 16,

which is provided on its lower part with an'internally screw threadedextension 17 to engage a portion of the supply pipe, and has extendinglongitudinally and to corresponding horizontally therethrough anopening. 1 8 for the reciprocating or sliding valve stem 19 which isformed at a suitable point between its-ends with transverse and verticalrecesses 20, as is clearlyshown in Figs. 5 and .6 of the drawings.` Thevalve casing 16 is provided on its upper sur-face or -dir'elctlyopposite the extension 17 with a screw-threaded socket 21, into whichthe gas burner 22 may be screwed or connected thereto in any.desired-manner, and which'burner may be ofthe ordinary or any preferredconstruction.

v Extending from the 'socket 21 through the valve casing 16, andcommunicating with the hollow or extening 18 therein, as will be readilyunderstood by reier-v the flow. ofgas through said channel or by-pass,which may be done by turning the screw 25 in the proper direction.Mounted above the fixture, and by preference on the burner 22, is a yokeor lframe 26, the upturned `ends or portion 27 and 27 of which arepreferably connected together bymeans of a rectangular and horizontallydisposed frame 28 located at the top of said portione. Eachof theupturned portionsl 27 and A27a of the yoke orl'frame 26 has pivotallysecured on its upper portion and usually in"a slot 29 therein a'lever'turned parts. djustably secured on the upward extension 27 just belowthe lever-30 thereon, by'. means of jam-nuts- 31, is a' screw-threadedyrod 32, towhich the lever 30 onl the upward extension 27 oi the yoke. l

5 5 pin used-on sadvalve casing. for regulating the moVehas mountedthereon a vblock 37 which may be ad- Secured at one of .its endsito theupper portion of the lever 30, on the extension 27, is anotherexpansible` wire 34, the other end of which-is secured to the lowerportion of the lever 30 on the extension 27, which lever has securedv toits upper portion one end of an expansibie wire 35, the other end ofwhich is secured to the inner end of a rod v36 which is loosely andhorizontally locatedin the upper portion of the extension`127, as

. well as in the end of the frame 28 adjacent to said extension. A partofthe rod 36 is screw-'threaded and justed on the r'od 36 by means ofnuts 38 located-oir and engaging said rod., Surrounding the rod 36 andresting at one of its ends on the [rame 28 is a spring 39, the other endof which restsagainst one of the nutsl 38, as is clearly shown in Figs.1` and 2 of the drawings:

' Pivotally secured at its upper end to the block. 37 is a lever 40,which is fulcrumed on a horizontally extending'bracket 4l secured to theupward extension 27' of the yoke or frame.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the rod 36 is located in a slightlyinclinedposition, and asl the lever 40 is Apiv- Aotally and adjustablyconnected to said rod and must move therewith in the expansion andcontraction of the Wires 33 to 35, inclusive, it is apparent thatthelever 40 will have a slight'longitudinal movement, and for this reasonit isprovided with a slot 42 for the fulcrum 43, which passes-throughsaid slot. The upper and lower ends of the lever 40 are preferablyforked so as to stride or'embrace the block 37 and a link 44:respectively. The/link 44 is provided near' one 'of its ends with a slot45, through which is passed a pin 46 used for pivotally and movablyconnecting. said link to the lower endoi the vlever 40- and, bypreference., betweenthe prongs of said lever. The inner portion of thelink 44 or that-part thereof adjacent to the valve casing 16 is providedwith prongs 47,Ain or hear .the

ends ofwhicb is located apintle orvsmall shaft 48 `Hinged at one `oftheir ends on the which` passes through a longitudinal 'slot 49 valvestem 19 near. one of its ends.

in the I pintle or Vshaft 48l are two oppositely extending plates ormembers 50,

each of whichY carries 'on its outer end a transverse rod or shaft l,toeachof which is loosely connected one vend of a spring 52,the other endsof which are rigidly 'secured on oppositesdes u'of an extension 1660i`the valvecalsi'n'g. Connected at one of itsendsto the lower portion'ofthe-lever 40is a coiled spring 53, the

other end -of. whichfis secured to the. burner 22, or

other suitable support. g `In' Figs.l 7 to' 16,` inclusive, l have showna modification h1 the construction Aof the'parts of theapparatus which I-may sometimesfemploy, and which 'consists-in employinga singleexpansible wire-54 inis` partly screw-threaded and is loosely andhorizontally `mounted on :the upper'portion of the 1 ipright-27LV of vthe yoke.- A' block 58 is mounted ron therod 57 andI maybeadjustedthereonv meansoi nuts 59 'located stessa on lsaid rod..lSurrounding the rod 57 and resting. at

one oi its. ends aga-inst the extension 27L is .a spring 39, the otherend ot which rests against one of the nuts 59,*as is clearly shown inFig. 7 of the drawings. In this modified construction, the lever 40' islfulcru'med ony a horizontally extending bracket .4 1 on the exten.

sion 27a, as'v in the other construction, but as the rod' i ,40 need bemade.

.57 will have ahorizontal movement instead or a horizontally inclinedmovement 4as in the other case, n0 provision for the longitudinalAmovement of the lever thernodiication now under consideration is pivot--al.ly secured to onev end o a link 60, the other end of which. is:similay--secirred to one. end oi the valye Vstem 19', which passesthrough a transverse opening4 18 in the modified valve casing 16b whichis cylin-,

drical-Vin shape and has a hollow extension 17 on, its

lower portionfor engagement with the supply pipe 4 or xture, and ascrew-threaded socket 21 on its opposite surface for engagement-with theburner 22. The valve casing 16"/ is. also provided with a channel 23 forthe main supply of gas, which channel communicates with the hollow ofthe extension 17 and with the socket `21, yet isv intersectedby thechannel 18 through which the valve; stem 19 passes.l The valve casing16b is alsoproyided withia channel or by-pass 61, which communicates atone of itsends with the hollow of the extension 17' and at its other endwith the socket 21, and may be closed or partially closed so as toregulate the flow of gasvthrough said by-pass by means of ascrew 62,which'is adapted to enter a portion` of theichannel v61, as will bereadily under- The lower end 'of the lever 40 of.

stood by reference to' Fig.. 9 of the drawings, in which g'ure it willbe noted that. the screw 62 is located in the lowerportion of the casing1Gb, while in the construction shownin Figs.` 1 to 5, inclusive, thescrew 25 used for regulating the ow of gas through the byl pass, islocated in the upper portion'othe casing.

. As shown. in Figs. 7 and S, the valve stem .19 is providedyvi'th aplate 63, which is supportedon the stem l9vfby means of screws 64 orrods engaging said los stem one on` eachside of the casing. The plate 63 is formed with a cam-race or opening 65 for the reception andoperation ofva pin 66, horizontally secured to thevalve casing. This pinis beveled as at 67 (see 'Fig 10) on the-upper port-ion of each o'itssidesA to form anedge 68 to co-act with a projection 69 at the middleofthe npperedge of the opening 65 inthe plate 63,' so as to givesaidplatea sudden movementafter ithas been 'raised until the projection69 yrests .on the'fedge or apex-68 of the pin'66. Extending downwardlyfrom thecasing 16b is an arm 70, to the lower end of which is securedone end of a spiral spring.

71, the .other end of'w-hich is connected to the plate 63,vand'saidspring is employed to assist in actuating :the valve stem 19awith a quick or sudden movement sofas to .turn en or cut oftl the supplyof gas through l themen, channel 2s tin-ct; flashes.

,. From the foregoing and by reference to the drawings instantly,thereby creating disit will be understood and 'clearly seen thatybyusing v a plurality of expansible wires ylocatedbneabove the other inthe path of the heat 'from the llame 72, and

connected togtheras shownand above described, 130

they willafford a greater degree of expansion and contraction than if asingle Wire is employed, as shown in Fig. 7 o'i the'drawings. :It isalso apparent that in the construction shown inFig. l, the tension ofthewires 33 to 35, inclusive, may be regulated byjrneans of the rods 32 and36 and the nuts thereon, and 'also that the movement of the lever 40 mayybe'regulated by suitably adjusting the block 37 t which :it 'isp'yotally secured at its upper end on the rod 36, andthe .throughtheby-pass 2'4 of the valve casing and out` through the burner, Where itmay be ignited to produce a small blaze, as shown by continuous lines inFig. l, when, :by shitting the parts. to the position shown in Fig. 2, afull-supply of gas will y'be discharged through the main channel 23 andout through the burner, thus increasing the flame '72 so as to heat andy fixture, expansible means mounted on the upper portion of expand theWires 33 to 35, inclusive, which 'opera` tion will cause the parts toassume the positions shown in Fig. l, thus reducing the flame andthereby per-V mittizng Ythe ysaid wires .to .cool and contract, whichoperation will Aagain cause the par-'ts to assu-me the -positions .shown-in Fig. 2. A These operations be repeated alternately, and it isevident that in the reciprocal movement of the walt/e stem T9 the plateso r members 50 will be gradually lbrought into yer.-

tical alinement, at which time the springs 52 will exert their greateststrength or energy thereon so that further movement of the valve stemwill throw themv suddenly ont o`f vertical'alinement, and, through theinstrumentality of the shaft or pintle 48 which is located in the slot49, will cause the valve stern 19 to -tion is practically the same asabove described, ex-

-stem 19 so as to instantly open and close the main Asupply channel 23in the vertical casing, as has been previously set forth.

Having. thusully described my invention, what I claim as new and desireto secure by Letters-Patent, is

l. -In an automatic'ilash light apparatus, the combine.- tion with a gasfixture, of a gas regulating valve mounted thereon. a yoke or framemounted on the burner of the fixture, expansible means mounted on theupper portion of the yoke or frame and consisting of a plurality ofwires located one above the other but plvotally connected t0- gether, alever fulcrumed on the yoke and adjustably connected at one of its endsto said expanslble means, and

means connecting the other end of said lever to the valve,

substantially as described.

2. In an automatic flash light apparatus, the combination with a gasiixturelof a gas regulating valve mounted thereon, a yoke or framemounted on the burner of the the yoke or frame and lconsisting of aplurality of wires located one above the other but pivotally connectedtogether, a lever fulcrumed on the yoke and adjustably cou- .nected atone of its ends to said expnnsible means, and means connecting the.other .end of said lever ato the -vnlve to impart to the xlatter .at .a,given point in l-ts travel sudden reciprocal movement. i

3. lin an automatic asli light apparatus, the combination with la gasVztiit'tfnre, of :a gas regulating valve mounted .thereon1 n leverulcrumedv near `the burner of the fixture, lexpansible means connectedtoA one Aend of .said lever and located so as *to be yexposed lto `theheat `of the flame-of the xture, a forked link loosely secured aft oneof its ends to the other end of said lever and iosely secured at itsother end to the valve, a pair of oppositely exiendng plates pivotnllysecured between the prongs und said link, a pair of springs connecteda't ene of their ends to the valve and loosely connected attheir otherends to said plates, snbstantially as described. A

v STANISLAUS BERENS. Witnesses z M. A. NYMAN,

CHAS. C. TILLMAN.

